Ocean Leave
by Gale Force
Summary: The Enterprise arrives at the blue water planet of Sivabos to indulge in a bit of shoreleave. It's a tourist driven planet with an ocean theme...but all is not as it seems.
1. Chapter 1

**Ocean Leave**

**By Caroline Miniscule**

**Introduction**

I've been a fan of _Star Trek: TOS _for over 30 years. (Yes, I watched _Star Trek _when it was first aired!) I'm a veteran of _Avengers _fan fiction, and have decided to try my hand at the Star Trek variety. (Check my profile for my _Avengers _fiction here, and my other, non-fiction writing at my website, The Thunder Child.)

This is part 1 of a 5-part story called _Ocean Leave_. "The crew of the Enterprise are to have shore leave on the blue water planet of Sivabos, but all is not as it seems".

**Chapter One**:

Three starships came out of warp speed at the edge of the Sivabos solar system, and proceeded toward the third planet of that system at sub-light speed, in perfect formation.

One of the ships was a freighter, carrying ancient and antiquated ocean going vessels of all shapes and sizes, from recreation craft such as sailboats to powerboats to cruise liners, to working ships such as fishing trawlers and factory ships.

The second ship carried tourists from around the galaxy, men, women and children who wanted to spend time on a blue water world that still teemed with ocean life. A world where they could utilize the pleasure craft, and re-enact the days of antiquity when men had to make their living from the sea without the aid of robots.

The third ship was the U.S.S. _Enterprise_. The _Enterprise _had just finished a six month tour of duty and had been granted shore leave, and the crew had voted to visit the planet Sivabos and get in some sunbathing - under a yellow sun - some fishing, some surfing, and whatever other recreations the planet -- one vast, if brand-new tourist destination -- provided.

Once they arrived at the planet, the freighter split off to take its cargo to the other side of the world. The planet's visitors would not have to wait for the unloading of these craft, of course - but would have the use of ships that had been sent over a year ago. Indeed, Sivabos Water World was currently celebrating its first anniversary in business by doubling its fleet.

The rotas for the crew's shore leave had been determined in advance. One-tenth of the crew would be transported down each day, with three days on the planet. Each subsequent tenth of the crew would overlap its predecessors by a day.

However, before any crew would beam down, Captain James T. Kirk would take a security party of ten down to the planet. He would present his compliments to Techno Ocean - the owners of the planet and all its tourism facilities - while the security party would check the facilities and ensure that the habitations met acceptable safety levels. As usual, Spock would remain in command of the _Enterprise _until Kirk's return.

"Captain," said Lieutenant Uhuru, "I'm getting a communication from the _Silvestre_."

The _Silvestre _was the tourist liner that had accompanied them, and the freighter, to the planet.

"It's Madame Vanschuir."

Madame Vanschuir was one of the principles of TechnoOcean. She and Kirk had conversed often during their trip here. Indeed, each had beamed aboard the other's vessel on more than one occasion to have dinner, and attend the theatre or other entertainments laid on by the entertainment directors of both ships.

"Put her onscreen, Lieutenant," requested Kirk.

The face of Madame Vanschuir filled the screen. She was a woman who looked to be in her fifties, with a severe black dress which she affected and a black streak through her white hair, which was drawn back from her face and clipped at the back of her neck. The lines of her face were patrician, and she was slender and lithe as a woman half her age.

"Captain Kirk, I'm about to beam down to our Residence," she said. "May I expect the pleasure of your company there?'

"In ten minutes, Madame Vanschuir," Kirk told her with a smile. "If you'll pass along the coordinates to my transporter chief?"

"Yes, I'll forward them now. See you soon."

The screen blacked out.

Kirk felt Spock's presence at his elbow.

"The security party is in Transporter Room," Spock informed him in his quiet way.

"Right. I'll give them their final instructions and let them beam down first. Then I'll beam down to the Residence. Mr. Spock, you have the con."

Spock took his place in the command chair, and Kirk left the bridge, a lightness in his step. It was part of his duty to meet the TechnoOcean corporate officers, but it would be a pleasure to see Madame Vanschuir again.

Captain Kirk strode to the main Transporter Room. As usual, Chief Engineer Scott was behind the controls. Scotty seemed to spend 12 hours a day in the engine room, babying the engines, and the other 12 hours in the transporter rooms, babying them. When he slept Kirk never knew.

The Security Party - ten red-shirted men and women - waited for him.

"Mankiewicz?"

The Security Chief, Rhonda Mankiewicz, stepped forward.

"Sir?"

"You've briefed the party?"

"Yes, sir, as per your instructions."

"Very good."

He nodded, and the party stepped onto the transporter pads. Scott's hands ran over the controls, and in due course ten columns of shimmering light lit up the room, then faded away.

Kirk stood by the control console.

"Well, Scotty, what are your plans for your shore leave?" he said casually.

As he expected, Scotty listed the types of engines in the antiquated ships that were supposed to be in operation on the planet below. He had his overalls ready and was intending to go into the engine rooms of all those ships, and get his hands greasy.

There was a beep, and Spock spoke.

"Captain."

"Yes?"

"Chief Mankiewicz has reported in. The security party arrived and was greeted by their escorts. They've split up and are investigating their assigned areas. She'll report back in another hour or so."

"Very good, Mr. Spock. I'll be transporting down now, to the TechnoOcean Residence."

"Yes, sir."

"I'll check in when I arrive." This was standard procedure, and Spock didn't need to be told it, but it was standard procedure to tell him.

Kirk stood on the transporter pad, and braced himself as his molecules began to churn within him. The initial feeling of the transporter dispersal, and its re-integration, were always uncomfortable to him.

He blinked, and found himself on a pad at the TechnoOcean Residence. Madame Vanschuir strode forward. "James."

"Sealke."

She took his arm. "Let me show you around."


	2. Chapter 2

**Ocean Leave **

**By Caroline Miniscule**

**Chapter Two**

"I think I'm going to be sick."

Ensign Pavel Chekov hunched his torso over the side of the ship, gazing almost unseeingly down to the blue water so far below, and attempted by sheer force of will to keep his breakfast where it belonged.

Ensign Elena Ustinov touched his arm in commiseration. "Don't try to keep it in," she advised. "You'll feel a lot better if you just empty your stomach."

"I think I…" began Chekov, then his stomach muscles contracted of their own volition and he leaned even further over the side of the ship. Various unpleasant noises proceeded to come from him. His sole comfort was that he was not the only one disgorging his breakfast into the water. He only hoped that Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock were not witnesses to his disgrace. He was not concerned that they would make jokes at his expense, any more than Elena would, he knew, but a _spaceman _who got _sea_sick…

But Captain Kirk and Spock were at the bow of the fishing trawler, accompanied by Madame Sealke Vanschuir and the Captain of the ancient ship, a tall, burly earthling named Carl Vincent. They were watching the thick hawsers that held the nets, so far below the surface of the ocean, hauling up a catch of ocean life weighing several thousand pounds.

Ten of the Enterprise's crew were aboard the vessel, along with thirty tourists who were along as observers, and fifteen crewmembers who were also tourists, but working on the ship as part of their vacation. Most of the tourists were clinging to the sides with green faces thrust over the gunwhales. The sky was a deep blue, the yellow sun shone brightly, and there was little swell..but the trawler still rose and fell like an elevator and some stomachs just hadn't gotten used to it.

Elena Ustinov watched Pavel and the others and shook her head. There _were _pills to ward off seasickness, she knew. Why hadn't any of these people taken them? Well, perhaps they wanted the full impact of the ocean-going experience, including knowing what it felt like to wish you were dead.

Wasn't it…the great Admiral of ancient Earth Horatio Nelson, who had always been seasick at the start of his voyages until he'd gotten his sea legs? If he could withstand 24 hour of feeling like death warmed over, those who followed in his footsteps could do no less. She would tell Pavel this, Elena decided, when he was once again in a condition to pay attention to what people were saying to him. He would find comfort in it.

At the bow, Madame Vanschuir and Vincent turned away from the two Federation officers, to speak to other dignitaries who were aboard the tourist ship.

Kirk and Spock gazed out over the blue horizon.

"It's beautiful," said Kirk.

"It's ironic," said Spock. "People come here from all over the galaxy. Their own worlds have oceans, they have a fine sea-faring heritage. But their oceans have been denuded through over-fishing and pollution…so they come _here _to relive those old days. Thousands of people a day, thousands of ships…the ocean-life _here _will be gone within a decade, I have no doubt."

"You're wrong, Spock," said Kirk. "The vast majority of the tourists here do what's called "catch-and-release - nothing is killed. It's just these trawlers that keep their catches."

And their eyes followed the swirling of the water below as the huge net and its cargo finally broke the surface.

The net rose high in the air, water cascading down from the desperately struggling silver fish-like creatures within it...interesting how underwater life forms had evolved in similar fashion in ocean-worlds across the cosmos, thought Spock.

Spock's eyes narrowed... What was _that_?

The crane twisted around, bringing the net from over the ocean, around to the open doors set in the deck of the ship. The ends of the net opened, and the fish cascaded into the hold.

"Close the net!" Spock yelled. "Bring the crane right down!"

At that second Kirk saw what Spock had seen. A female figure hung by one hand from the now empty net, far above. She was naked, and her body had a silver sheen...as if she were a fish in human form.

She hung there by one hand, unmoving, seemingly unstraining, and Spock and Kirk saw her impassive face... (rather beautiful, Kirk thought) looking around as she took in her surroundings...at the humans who suddenly whirled around from their fascination with the ocean far below to turn and look at her, at the other ships dotting the horizon, and then down at the sea creatures in the hold, flopping around desperately.

The creature let go of the net, and plummeted like an arrow into the hold.

Kirk jolted forward and leaned over the edge of the railing. She, falling straight as an arrow, had plummeted into the morass of fish and was lost to sight.

The deck opening below this one, from below which the hold extended into the bowels of the ship, was flush with the opening over which Kirk leaned. How could he get down there quickly?

"Spock," he said, climbing up on the railing.

The Vulcan understood immediately. He took Kirk's hand and lowered his Captain over the edge of the hold, and then began to swing him like a pendulum. One swing back, one forward, one swing back - further, and then swinging forward, and Spock released his hold.

Kirk flew threw the air, over the squirming and desperately jumping mass of fish, and hit and rolled safely on the deck below.

He hopped to his feet, and cupped his hands around his mouth.

"There's a woman fallen into the hold!" he yelled at the top of his lungs. "We need to empty it out _now_!"

The men...and a couple of women...stared at him, then turned to look into the hold.

One of the women screamed, and pointed. "Look."

Something was moving _under _the fish, toward a point at one edge of the hold. There was a marked squirming and agitation above it that seemed to be a trail, showing where the thing below was moving.

All was silence. And then, suddenly, there was the sound of rending metal.

_She's tearing her way through the bulkheads of the ship_, Kirk realized. He whirled and headed for the ladder back up to the top deck. He had to fight his way through the crush of people running downwards, anxious to take a look into the hold themselves.

She must be a deep sea creature, Kirk thought, with the strength of body to withstand the tremendous pressure down there. She was ripping through the steel as through tissue paper.

He made it to the top deck and sprinted to the side where he anticipated the creature to emerge. And indeed, even as he looked downward, he saw her head emerge from the hull. And then she was climbing out.

"Hey," yelled Kirk. "Hey!"

The woman turned to look up at him. And then...incredibly...she started climbing _toward _him, her hands and feet crunching handholds into the metal.

She came up to him.

Kirk watched her face, beautiful for all that it was cold and seemed carved frm steel.

"I'm Cap..." he began, and then she put an arm on his shoulder, gripped down, and with incredible strength, lifted him over the railing. She shoved herself away from the ship, still holding onto Kirk's neck, and Kirk just had a couple of seconds to take a deep breath before they hit the water.

And then they were going down..and down..and down.

Kirk struggled desperately, savagely, but he could not break the creature's hold on his neck. His lungs burned...he was running out of air.

His lungs were burning...he couldn't breathe...he couldn't break free...he stopped struggling...mustn't open his mouth...needed air.

Dimly, he was aware that their tremendous descent downward had stopped. He saw the cold face look into his...an expression of surprise and concern come into it...and then suddenly they were arrowing upward.

But it was too late, Kirk knew, even as his mouth opened of its own volition and he sucked in water. No matter how fast she rose to the surface, he wouldn't be alive when they reached it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Ocean Leave **

**By Caroline Miniscule**

**Chapter Three**

**Part I**

Kirk opened his eyes and saw the blurred face of Dr. Leonard McCoy - Bones - staring at him. Then he moved convulsively, rolled over, and vomited water onto the transporter pad. McCoy had obviously been giving him resuscitation, and it had worked.

When Kirk was able to breathe normally again, he croaked, "What happened?"

"Spock saw you taken under water by some creature. He communicated with Scotty immediately, told him to lock on to the homing transponder in your communicator and beam you aboard. Then Scotty called me in the Medical Lab, and I had him beam me here, too."

"Well done, that man," croaked Kirk.

He remained on hands and knees, fighting for mental balance, not to mention getting his strength back.

"Where's the creature?"

"Mr. Spock dinnae say anything about a creature," said Scotty, from behind the transporter console. "I locked on to your transponder and beamed you up. If anyone else was near you, they stayed where they were."

Kirk attempted a deep breath…and felt the life-giving oxygen move easily into his lungs. He started to get to his feet, and Bones assisted him.

"Scotty, beam me back down to the trawler." he croaked.

"Belay that," snapped Bones. "You're going into the hyperbaric chamber immediately. I don't know how far down that creature took you, but you might have gotten some nitrogen bubbles dissolved in your blood, and even though you were transported up here, that may not have gotten rid of those bubbles. I want you in the chamber for 60 minutes, starting right now. In fact, here's the stretcher."

Nurse Chapel entered the Transporter Room then. Beside her was a stretcher, floating effortlessly over the floor on gravity servos. Transportation within the ship was generally not encouraged and done only under emergencies.

Kirk hated the fact that he did not have the energy to argue, but he didn't. He lay down on the stretcher, but took out his communicator and called Spock as he was brought towards the hyperbaric chamber.

"Mr. Spock, thanks for the prompt action."

"I'm glad it was apparently in time, Captain." said Spock noncommittally.

Kirk grinned.

"What's happening down there?"

"The creature tore holes through three bulkheads, as well as the outer hull of the ship, in its escape. However, they were all above the waterline so the ship is in no danger of sinking. We are returning to port, however."

"Good. Well, I'm going into the hyperbaric chamber for sixty minutes. I want you to initiate some research immediately. Call down whoever you need. I want to find out if all the protocols were followed before TechnoOcean took possession of this planet. And I want to find out if any of those humanoid creatures have been seen before."

"Very good, sir. I'll set inquiries in motion immediately."

"Thank you, Mr. Spock. I'll see you in one hour."

Kirk entered the hyperbaric chamber on his own two feet, having changed from his wet uniform into dry coveralls.. It was a comfortable room, designed so that people might continue to work while they waited for atmospheric pressure to equalize. It was rarely used, but occasionally the _Enterprise _encountered water worlds where its service became necessary.

Pure oxygen was pumped into the room under pressure, and Kirk lay down on one of the beds with his eyes closed. He'd come within a second or two of death, he knew, but that wasn't what was effecting him. It was the look on that creature's face. She was a sentient being, he was sure of it. He would have to meet her again.

**Part II**

Lieutenant Meiying Ping was a galactic law expert, one of several aboard the USS Enterprise, and it was to her that Mr. Spock communicated.

"There's no need for me to beam down to the planet just at present," Ping said thoughtfully after he'd explained the situation.

"I'll be able to access all the files on the Sivabos Reclamation Project from the Federation Database, here. Once I've sorted through all the data, I'll report to the Captain."

"Very well."

Ping had been in her office, so it was the work of a second to turn to her computer.

"Computer."

"Working."

"Pull up all data about the Sivabos Reclamation Project, and display on screen."

"Working…"

The data flashed up…over 100 pages, Ping noted. She could have had the computer speak the data to her, but she preferred the written word. She leaned forward and began to read.


	4. Chapter 4

**Ocean Leave**

**Chapter Four**

**By Gale Force**

Captain James T. Kirk came out of the hyperbaric chamber after 60 minutes. He'd spent the sixty minutes in silence, achieving mental and physical balance. He'd spent the time mentally rerunning the scene in his mind, from the time the sea-woman had been pulled out of the sea, hanging seemingly unconcerned from the net above the trawler, to her dropping into the hold full of fish, swimming, presumably, through those fish to the side of the hold, where she'd proceeded to tear her way through the hull, and three others besides. She must have been able to tear the metal like tissue, Kirk thought grimly.

Then she'd seen him calling to her, and she'd climbed toward him, and pulled him overboard. But almost drowned as he was, he knew what had occurred. She'd realized that he was drowning, and she'd started to bring him back toward the surface again. She hadn't meant him any harm, therefore - and thus must be an intelligent, civilized creature of some kind.

Waiting for him in the antechamber were Doctor McCoy and Yeoman Janice Rand, carrying a databook. While McCoy ran a tricorder over him, Rand spoke.

"I've been briefed by Mr. Spock, Captain," she said. "The trawler is about two hours away from port. He's informed Madame Vanschuir and the captain of the vessel that you were beamed aboard the _Enterprise_, and that you'll be returning to the planet shortly.

Mr. Spock has given the research assignment about the Sivabosian protocols to Lieutenant Ping, who has been working on it for about 45 minutes now. She hasn't reported yet, but I'm sure it will take her a few more hours to work through all those protocols, anyway."

Kirk nodded.

"I've also checked our stores," Rand said calmly. "We've got one space shuttle rigged for ocean duty - the Ymir. It hasn't been used for at least one solar year, but Mr. Scott has taken a look at it periodically, of course, and it's ready for duty should it be required.

In addition, we've got ten space suits configured for underwater use. I checked with Ensign Powell, and he says that they can be checked out and ready for use in 24 hours."

Kirk nodded approvingly. "You've anticipated me, Yeoman, well done." he said. "I'm thinking we're going to have to launch some kind of an expedition into the depths of the ocean to find these people. TechnoOcean should have some equipment, but if they don't, we'll deploy our own."

Rand nodded and made a notation on the screen of the databook.

"You'll beam down with me in two hours," Kirk continued, "when the trawler has returned to port. I'll want you with me when we talk with TechnoOcean. Hopefully Ping will have enough information at that time - she'll come with us."

"Yes, sir."

Rand left, and Kirk turned to McCoy.

"Well, Bones. Do you fancy a trip under the oceans of an alien planet?"

McCoy grimaced. "I'm a doctor, not a merman. I'll stay up here, thank you very much."

Kirk laughed. "Somehow I thought you'd say that."


	5. Chapter 5

**Ocean Leave**

Chapter Five

by Gale Force

Madame Sealke Vanschuir, the president of TechnoOcean's Sivabosian endeavors, stood at the head of the long table in the conference room. Her secretary, Grayde, was at the main computer, ensuring that the people around the table would be able to pull up all necessary data on the datascreens embedded in the table before them.

By her side was TechnoOcean vice-president Chorn Sumner. Sumner towered over Sealke by a foot, for he was an Argellian - seven feet tall with gray skin and piercing silver eyes. Sealke was not intimidated, however.

Sumner's eyes glanced around the table, and at the glowing screens in the table. His eyes narrowed. "Why are there nine screens active?" he rumbled. "There will be only seven of us."

"Captain Kirk of the _Enterprise _will be sitting in on the discussion, with an assistant."

"Kirk? The Federation? They have no jurisdiction on planets...let alone this one."

"They may not have jurisdiction, but they have knowledge."

"Knowledge of what?" demanded Sumner irritably. "If that creature had been some kind of tentacled thing, we wouldn't be having this meeting at all."

"Precisely," snapped Sealke. "Any kind of mindless deep-sea beast, and we would merely send an expedition out to destroy it. But the thing on that shape was humanoid. Everyone who saw it says so - and that's quite a few witnesses."

"And because it was humanoid in shape it must necessarily follow that it is a sentient being?"

Sealke shrugged. "We don't know. That is what we are meeting to discuss. How to find out."

"And if it _is _a sentient being?"

Sealke looked up at her subordinate, then shrugged. "TechnoOcean has a great deal of time and money invested in this project, Sumner. I am aware of that, as I know you are. I do not want that investment jeopardized, and I will ensure that it is not."

"Very good. But what if Kirk gets in our way? The Federation..."

Sealke held up a hand. "Don't misunderstand me, Sumner. I will not go against Federation law in this matter. But there are ways to bend laws to one's own needs, as you know. I don't want to speculate any further. Let's wait until the meeting."

Sumner jerked his head in a nod. "As you wish."

"What has been done about the location where the attack took place?"

Sumner looked at his databook. "The attack, for it was an _attack_ on our ship," he said pointedly, "took place in the Leyne Sea. All seafaring tourist vessels have been ordered to leave that area, and our Navy ships are even now heading toward the area to seal it off."

"Very good."

Sealke looked at the chronometer on the wall. "The meeting will be in another 15 minutes. I will be in my Ready Room until that time."

"I shall inform you when everyone has arrived."

Sumner watched Madame Vanschuir leave the room, accompanied by Grayde who was apparently finished with her tasks as well.

Sumner reached into his pocket for his communicator. He twisted the dial.

"Xander."

"I am here, Chorn."

"Are you in position?"

"I have arrived at the location, yes. But it is impossible to do anything! A couple of Navy ships have already arrived. They would be bound to notice any subsurface sonic activity."

"Damn. I was hoping you could wipe the area clean before they showed up."

"I don't think it would have worked even if they weren't here, Chorn. Such sonic activity as you wanted us to undertake...it would have killed all the ocean life in the area. The surface would be littered with their bodies."

"Yes...perhaps my orders were precipitate. Well, stay at your depth, and do as much searching as you can. If you're detected by any Navy ships, acknowledge that you're a research vessel sent by me, to aid in the search...and apologize for not having reported in earlier."

"Understood, Chorn."

"Very well, Xander. I'll be in touch."

Chorn Sumner replaced his communicator and sighed deeply. He hated complications. Moreover, he hated people who got in the way of his solving complications in the most direct manner possible. That was _always _the best way.

Well..when were the delegates going to show up, he wondered irritably. Punctuality to him meant arriving fifteen minutes. He shook his head. TechnoOcean needed a lot of changes. Hopefully, he could bring them about.


End file.
